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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22369162">Straight from the Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh'>JehBeeEh</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ahead by a Century [31]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - No Powers, Dr Erskine is the best, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, I'm not a doctor, M/M, Seriously everything will be fine, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:22:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22369162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I don’t think this qualifies for <em>you’ll be fine</em>. There is a problem with the organ keeping me alive. That is not <em>fine</em>!”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ahead by a Century [31]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>150</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Straight from the Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had gotten off the treadmill 10 minutes ago and he still felt winded. How in the hell did Steve manage to run every day and barely break a sweat, Tony wondered as he realized he had answered his own question. He definitely needed to do cardio more regularly. He stopped his mind from wandering to his favourite form of cardio with his favourite blond when the doctor came back in the room.</p>
<p>“Lay it on me, doc. What's the verdict?” Tony asked, using his usual over confidence to mask just how terrified he actually was of the answer.</p>
<p>“Well, it will take a few more days to get all the results, but it seems that you have what is known as bradycardia,” Dr. Erskine started as he sat down, looking over the results on the tablet in front of him.</p>
<p>“That sounds like the name of a fan club for that football player dating the Victoria’s Secret model.” Tony thought out loud with a smirk.</p>
<p>“I can assure you, what you Americans try to pass off as football has nothing to do with this. Basically, this is a form of arrhythmia where your heart beats too slowly.”</p>
<p>“You’ve seen my husband, right? I can assure you my heart beats extremely fast whenever I lay eyes on him or -"</p>
<p>“Tony,” Dr. Erskine finally looked up from the tablet and at his patient, “I know you’re trying to hide your feelings behind humour, but that is not necessary with me. We established long ago you pay me well enough for me not to go spilling your insecurities to the press.” The doctor returned Tony's smile at the joke. “You don’t have to be nervous. You'll be fine.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think this qualifies for <em>you’ll be fine</em>. There is a problem with the organ keeping me alive. That is not <em>fine</em>!” Tony let out, finally dropping the act. He was definitely worried.</p>
<p>“Many people live long and healthy lives with this type of heart problem. And, it seems to be fairly mild right now. If it weren't for the accident, you probably wouldn't have noticed it and gone on living life normally.”</p>
<p>“True,” Tony let out with a sigh. If he had any of the symptoms the doctor had asked about, he couldn’t remember them. He hadn't fainted, which seemed to be the big obvious one. He never really felt dizzy or confused. He didn’t feel his heart rate change. He felt great now that he was finally eating and sleeping better, if he was being honest. That he had his husband to thank for.</p>
<p>Steve. Was he ever thankful for whatever serendipitous event had made them take that flight together. He had calmed down on his partying ways years before – Rhodey and Pepper had made sure of that – but he still couldn't manage to work less, slow down. He had been neglecting his health in other ways and didn’t realize just how bad he was feeling until Steve appeared in his life and made him want to slow down. He had never tried to change it on purpose, never demanded Tony spend more time with him or change his habits. Tony had changed of his own volition, because he wanted to spend time with Steve. He wanted to fall asleep wrapped in his arms and wake up there too. Or at least in a bed where the blond had been up until a few hours before Tony rolled out of bed. He loved the time they spent in the kitchen together making or eating food. He couldn’t get enough of snuggling on the couch and relaxing with a book or a movie or their favourite shows. And Steve had never asked him for any of it, Tony just fell into it naturally, like he was always meant to have.</p>
<p>People had endeavored to make Tony change. They had tried and tried but even the people closest to him could not convince him that it was better for him to slow down. He smiled, thinking of how Steve got him to do all these things without once asking him to. It was no wonder he always knew he would marry him.</p>
<p>“So, why do you think it just suddenly manifested itself? I was fine at my last physical,” Tony asked after a beat.</p>
<p>“That, I cannot answer. But we have options to treat this, should the test results reveal that what I am seeing here isn't as mild as I think it is or not. But, I’m not usually wrong.” He turned to grab a few pamphlets in a drawer besides him. When he handed them to Tony, brown eyes rolled to the sky.</p>
<p>“Come on! The people on these are old. Like, <em>old </em>old. Are you sure I have a heart problem?” Tony whined.</p>
<p>“Heart problems do not occur only in old people, Tony. I had one of the newborns I helped deliver just last week be born with a severe heart defect.”</p>
<p>“That isn't the same…” Tony replied sheepishly.</p>
<p>“Oh, but it is. Look… given your history, I have to say, I’m surprised nothing has materialized sooner. Like I said though, it is easily treatable.” He pointed at the top pamphlet. “This is the worse case scenario. If the blood work and all the test results together show this is warranted, a pacemaker will keep everything in check, and we will have no issues except making sure the battery life doesn't run out. And, if I suspect correctly,” he pulled the bottom papers and placed them over the others, “all you will need is a bit of medication and a little less caffeine.”</p>
<p>Tony looked at him and nodded slightly. He opened the leaflets and skimmed through the information. Everything matched what he had read about after the first time his doctor had mentioned arrhythmia. He had read so much that the information had all gelled together in his mind, but the engineer in him kept coming back to the small electronic device.</p>
<p>“So, definitely meds, at worse I become an android.”</p>
<p>“Over dramatic much, Mr. Stark?”</p>
<p>“You'd worry if I wasn't.” Tony smiled at the older man. “But really, the pacemaker… they only last a decade? That seems wasteful. And like it would put patients at risk with additional surgeries as they age, no?”</p>
<p>“You are not wrong, no. And even for younger patients, the risks are still there.”</p>
<p>“Huh…”</p>
<p>“I know that face. Tony, they are perfectly safe, and you would not be in any danger from the battery failing.” Dr. Erskine raised an eyebrow at Tony’s look.</p>
<p>“I know, doc. Just can't help my brain from dissecting the mechanics behind it,” Tony was staring off in the distance as he spoke, and he had to shake himself back to the present. “Anyways, when should we have the results? Anything I need to know or do in the meantime?” Tony tried to let go of the thought that had hitched itself to the back of his mind and concentrate on what the doctor was saying.</p>
<p>“We will start you on these meds for now, and reevaluate with the full results, but I do not think anything further will be required. No restrictions or changes necessary, but you should consider lowering your caffeine intake as a general precaution. But otherwise, as long as you keep an eye out for the symptoms we talked about, it is business as usual.” Dr. Erskine got up and Tony followed. “I meant it, Tony, you will be absolutely fine. If you or Steve have further questions, you have my number. Don't hesitate to call. Otherwise, I’ll be in touch in the next day with your results.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good, thanks doc!” Tony shook his hand as they left the room.</p>
<p>He left the clinic, Happy waiting for him outside. He was quiet during the car ride, his mind racing through code and specs and wondering if he was completely crazy to even consider what his mind was supplying him. Only one way to find out, he thought.</p>
<p>He sauntered into the kitchen when he got home, spotting a note on the fridge from Steve who had gone to the office for a few hours now that he felt better. He stopped, taking a minute to think through the last few weeks. He had been so busy worrying about his predicament that he had barely noticed how Steve seemed to be… off. Just not his usual self. He thought maybe it was just the stress of the new business or worrying about Tony's health as well. He promised himself he would bring it up once the blond made it home. He sent him a text letting him know he'd made it back and asking if he could do anything to prep dinner. And wow, didn’t that feel insanely domestic. This man really had done something to Tony, and he loved every second of it. He grabbed a small container of berries from the fridge as he padded his way to his workshop, ready to start emptying his brain into his computer and seeing if he could make it all work the way he thought he could.</p>
<p>Everything was going to be just fine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Have I mentioned how much I love Stanley Tucci and Dr. Erskine?  That was the biggest stroke (no pun intended...) of genius I've ever had, and I am sticking to it.</p>
<p>This one is just 'filler' basically, it didn't quite fit with the next one, but needed to be there, but would have been odd as chapters.  I dunno. Whatever, I'm not apologizing for it. Everything will be fine, right?</p>
<p>(and that title is horrid - it is a Bryan Adams song - but it fit with the theme and Tony's little gushy moment about Steve.)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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